The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-09
PUBLIC HEALTH.
Continued From second Page.

this city. My recommendation was sus-
tanned by the distinguished German bactcri-
ologlst DIR. Robert Koch, who was one of
the delegates present. ! may remark that /
have recently received a letter from Dr.
Koch, asking me TO give him full particulars
with reference TO the details of this system
a. carried out in the city of Memphis.
am not willing to leave the subject of
quarantine, to which have briefly referred,
without placing myself upon record with
reference to matter in connection with it
which Tconsidcr one of the greatest impor-
lance. The practice which has come down
10 us from former times, when questions re-
latng to abstract justice and individual
rights had but little consideration in face of
d danger TO the community, OF taxing com
merce for the support of quarantine estab
bshments, consider one that is wrong in
principle and unjust TO those who are re-
CURED TO bear the burden. 1t seems to me
to be evident that the people protected
should pay the cost of such protection, and
that quarantine establishments should be
supported at the expense of the national
government, or of the States in which our
seaports are located, and not by tax upon
4 the shipping entering these ports. am not
No much concerned, however, with the UNI
Just tax upon shipowncrs as with the gross
injustice TO passengers, practiccd at many
ports in various parts OF the world, when
a quarantine station. Humanity demands
4 that sick person who is detained for the
lprotectlon OF community should receive
ithc best possible care and Justice requires
that both sick and well, while detained at a
quarantine station, should be well fed and
well lodged without expense 10 themselves
e Moreover, Mt a quarantine establishment
which is supported by a tax upon ships and
upon the passengers detained, an unscrupu-
lous official may add to the hardships of pas
s sengers detained the barbarity of an unncc-
f3nssary detention from venal motive. |
trust that such things do not happen in our
trountry, but to show how unjust the princi-
%ple Of taxing the passenger for his support
l1whllc under detention In quarantine ~, |
Twill mention circumstance which recently
Tell under my own observation:
When left Brazil in the month OF August
last, smallpox was epidemic, both in Rio de
Janoiro and at Para; our ship touched at
Para and five days later at Barbados. A
passenger for this port was not allowed TO
land, because of the prevalence of smallpox
in Brazil. Proceeding 10 81. Thomas less
than two days sail from Barbados, our pas
senger was again refused permission TO land,
except 10 go TO the quarantine station for a
certain number Of days. This was all right.
but the conditions upon which he would be
received seemed TO me TO be all wrong.
Either lac himself or the ship must guaranty
4 lnc Payment Ol lne quarantine ices, WHO
would bc s. day for his board and s. q day
10 the quarantine physician IL he were alone.
II Others were at the station nc the same time
this fee would be divided between them.
One can easily imagine what n hardship such
tax would be for person Of limited means,
who had only provided himself with funds
for the journey he had undertaken. The
agent Of the ship refused 10 take any re-
spOnsibility, and our passenger had no re-
A enlmit A A. u1 ~ a..
come on 10 New York, paying his passage 10
that port.
As another illustration Of the evils arising
from the present system of supporting quar-
antinc establishments, will mention cir
cumstance which occurred upon our arrival
at the port Of New York. With the deputy
health officer, who boarded our ship, came q
man with jug. | was Informed by one OF
the officers Of the ship that lac was TO disin-
feet the vessel. Being somewhat curious 10
know the method Of disinfcctiOn employed,
] asked the ships surgeon TO 60 with me 10
inspect, when, after a detention Of less
than one hour, We had started from the
quarantine station for our wharf. We found
that the man with the lug had lowered a
bucket by means Of rope through one Of
the matches between decks. Upon pulling
up this bucket found that IL contained two or
three pounds Of some powder which had been
wet, probably with acid solution, and which
4 gave of an odor Of chlorine. Nodoubt when
l. first lowered between decks there had been
considerable evolution Of chlorine but
7 In the vast space TO be disinicctcd, IL was 80
diluted that at the end Of an hour did not
detect the odor Of chlorine gas when | lifted
the hatch and IL was only by approaching
my nose Ia the bucket that was able 10 AS
certain what disinfcctant had been used.
The most curious part OF the story is that |
was informed that the bucket had been low
l.. 4 ~ - 80 q
hides which were stored Ia the hold. What
was the object Of this "diinfcctiony' Evil
IDENTIFY not to disinfect, for no one ut the
present day would think of maintaining that
the hides IN the hold had been disnlcctcd
by the procedure Of the man with the jug
The only object that | can conceive OF
depends upon the fact that there is fee for
disiniccting, which must be paid by the
agents Of the ship at least was 80 informed
by one of the officers Of the ship.
Gentlemen, we can not control the action
of sanitary authorities abroad, aud II We arc
ever ~ unfortunate as to be thrown into u
lazarctto in one Of those countries where the
rights Of the individual are counted as moth
ing. God pity u.s. for the fact that We are
American citizens will be of no avail. Hut
We can at least correct abuses, II such exist,
at our own seaports, aud set an example 90
other nations Of an enlightened policy. which
will not only rebound to our credit but
will directly benefit our lnnguishing com
merce. The most enlightened nations 81
Europe recognize the importance Of uni
form system 81 quarantine administration,
based upon past experience and recent pro.
grcss IN sanitary science and this has been
one Of the principal objects in view In the
assembling Of expert delegates from the
various countries Interested for international
sanitary conferences
The hrst international conference was that
Of Paris In 1852. A second sanitary confer
cncc assembled IN the same country IN lSj'
for the purpose of revising and simplifying
the conclusions adopted IN 1882; the mex
conference was that of CoustnntinOplc 10
1896, aud this like, the lnst conference Assem-
bled In Rome In 1876, at the call oi the ltal
ian government followed Immediately aito
an epidemic Of cholera, and had special ref
orcncc ca the restriction Of this disease. Th'
conference at Vienna followed IN 1874, nnt
that Of Washington In 1881. The latter fol
lowing after our yellow fever cpidomics u
1878 and 1879 had the special object In view
| of establishing an International system q
notification Of the appearance Of epidemic
disease In all parts Of the civilized world
and Of the sanitary condition Of scapor
cities, aud especially Of ships sailing iron
infected ports.
Unfortunately all attempts 20 establish Al
international code Of quarantine regulation
have thus Tar failed, owing TO the very Ill
verse opinions held By the delegates from III
several nations who have been assembled "a
this purpose and 10 the conflicting Interest
Of some 81 the great powers. While o.
nation We have taken part In these saniiar
conferences, and have advocated an cnlighl
encdhnd uniform policy of quarantine nd
minstmton, aud International modification
Of infectious diseases, we have ns yet no un
formity In the quarantine regulations Of on
-wn seaport cities, aud no central henlt
bureau. Gentlemen, II " well for us 10 col